01 February 2012

sketchbook project 2012

This was my second year participating in the Arthouse Sketchbook Project and I had such a good time! I was really pleased with my book this year and I'm sure part of that is because I learned a great deal last year of what works for me and what not to do. Since I like to use a lot of watercolor, rebinding my book with a lot of my own paper was an essential change. I used the original paper for the cut-out pages where it worked very well, and I was able to wet the pages to my heart's content by using heavier stock on the full-color pages.

My theme was Uncharted Waters ~ chosen because it made me think of exploration, seeking, learning and finding new worlds. Exciting! I thought about Columbus at first, but didn't really feel like drawing his old-fashioned boat. With just a little research, I discovered the Arctic and Antarctic explorers of the late 1800's and grew very attached to them. I decided to focus on the Arctic for my book since it seemed like more people got lost at the South Pole (admittedly, a bit depressing).

My book was not historically factual ~ I don't think they did much diving in the freezing waters up north and I don't know if super-enormous octopi or squid reside in the deep seas ~ but I did model my boat after the Norwegian exploration ship the Fram and I did paint many adorable arctic sea creatures.

beluga whales <3

Now I have dual themes in my two books of underwater scenes, white animals and a reality-fantasy mix (although my 2011 book was heavier on the fantastical). Using my own paper made this year's book much more cohesive as I wasn't alternating storyline with diary-type drawings in pencil to cope with ink bleed. However, I do love both books and I can't wait to check out many, many sketchbooks from friends around the world when the Sketchbook Tour comes to San Francisco.

I'll soon post scans of my full book on Flickr, but in the meantime I leave you with a video page-through of Uncharted Waters so you can see how the cut-out pages worked and following that, a list of some wonderful artists who made sketchbooks this year.

Looking forward to seeing these books in person and holding them in my very own hands. Leave me a comment if I've left you off the list, please! (It's quite late at night so I may have forgotten important people!) Click on their names below to go to their sketchbook or their twitter.

And I don't think she made a sketchbook but Ti-Igra painted a gorgeous image of Antarctica and Roald Amundsen's trip to the South Pole. I mention it here because the ship Roald used for the Antarctic was also the Fram! He used it some years after Fridtjof Nansen sailed it in the Arctic waters, trying to reach the North Pole.

Arigatou, Juri! I filmed the video in a park during my lunch hour. heehee High school students walking by must have thought I was so strange. ^_^ I thought the cut pages made the book more dynamic and video suited to show how their motion changes the images. I look forward to seeing your book in June!

Oh Kimi this is lovely!!!! GREAT WORK!!! all of those little details and small parts to flip - WOW. I am hoping that I will be able to make it to Vancouver when the show visits there. It would be so wonderful to check out your book and all of these other lovelies you have listed! Thank you for including me. I sure do hope my book makes it this year. lol. Looking forward to having your pretty hands flip the pages of my book <3

Ah, you noticed the shadows! (One of my favorite parts of the book). And I often thought of you, especially when I drew the ship's giant anchors. :)

The background fabric was something that conveniently happened to be in a huge collection of craft materials that a very kind person had just donated to me. I was lucky!

I made the video on my Macbook using iMovie, and found out that GarageBand has a movie score feature where you can import your movie and then add loops and sounds to match what's on screen. It was my first time trying to put a 'song' together. I'm so relieved it didn't stick out as being noticeably homemade (as in distractingly bad). In the past, I've also used Windows Movie Maker for editing the film and that worked fine too.

I'd love to see a video for your LE sketchbook! I think adding photos/scans are also good so the art can be seen close up and in detail, but the video gives the feeling of turning pages. I hope you do it!

Hi, dearest!!!! Your artbook is amazing! Just so calm and full of enigmatic. In the video with this fantastic music sounds we have wonderful adventure to the Icy world! :))))))Super HUGS for you! And I see - we have similar emotions and feelings with you!!!!! So happy you saw my picture and shared it!Your book - is The Inspiration for us!!!!

Ira, your enthusiasm is always on full-blast! Thank you for spreading your happiness. I was so thrilled to see your painting and find the connection between our works. I became very interested in the Arctic and Antarctic explorers while working on this sketchbook and your painting seemed to capture the emotion and adventure perfectly. Big hug back to you!